Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-19

TAilEohu IuHulHR 10 IL. OF 6ApeCCs 10 nave
one at an early day. Such expectations
Railroads, it appears, are easily
built in Florida. The surface
of the countryis comparatively level, and
the work OF grading very light. With
that accomplished and a very long title
(the shorter the line is the longer should
De its name }, a vast amount of bonds can
be issued with which to iron aud equip
the road. A large crop OF railroad re-
ceiyers may be produced in Florida by
these enterprises, but the people Will
have the railroads. There is an immense
travel in Central Florida, and every year
1t Will be greater. The country is devel-
oping rapidly, and ultimately there will
be plenty of business for these short lines.
1t is possible that they may be run as a
part of one OF the great railroad systems.
A DREAM REALIZED.
The Plant railroad system is a reali-
eaton OF the dream OF the railroad en-
thusiasts of Savannah OF thirty or forty
years ago. The original Atlantic ana
GultrailrOad, of which the savannah, Flor
Ida and Western railway is the successor,
was. intended by its projectors to con-
meet the Atlantic ocean with the
Gulf of Mexico, and thereby secure the
trade OF the cities on the Gulf coast
or the United States, and ultimately
the commerce OF the countries OF
Central and South America to Savan-
nah. The most sanguine anticipa-
tions of ScreYen, Tiff, Thompson and
their associates, however, never en-
braced the idea of a through rail route
from the then distant cities of the
North and West and the old town of Tam
pa, near the Everglades, A trip
from New York 10 Tampa between the
rising and setting OF two suns was not
even in the vision OF their dreams. A pas
senger can now leave New York in the
morning and on the evening of the fol-
lowing day be aboard one of the
Plant steamers at Tampa, en- route for
the West Indies. This fast mail line is
already the great through route between
Central and South America and the
United States and Europe. Tampa, the
southern terminus OF the railroad, is di-
rectlv north Of the lsthmus Of Panama,
and is the nearest deep-water harbor on
the North American coast. 1t is the en-
trepot through which all the immense
trade and travel of the Spanish American
countries must pass. The unbroken
rail connections between Tampa and New
York. the great business centre of the
American continent, is already attract
ing the attention of the people of those
countries, and hereafter the limit of what
is done will be the capacity OF the line OF
steamers and the facilities of the port to
handle it. The latter will soon be in
creased by the building of branch road
twelve miles in length from the city of
Tampa to Gadsden's Point, in old Tampa
bay, where there is ample depth of water.
THE PLANT STEAMSHIPS.
The line TO Key West and Havana con-
sists of the Masootte and the Whitney,
both excellent steamers. The former is
noted as being the fastest American built
steamer a1loat. Her motive power is
what is known as the triple ex-
pansion engine, and it occupies
about half the space usual for engines
of vessels OF her size. 1t is this class Of
engines which are to be put into the new
vessels of the navy. The consort of the
Mascotte is the Olivette, a vessel Of the
same class but larger and of greater
speed. The new steamer is expected on
the line by May l, Mr.. Plant personally
directed every detail in the construction
of these vessels, aud it would seem to
prove that he is an expert in maritime as
well as railroad matters.
The trip from Jacksonville to Sanford,
| and the stop for dinner at the Tropical
| at kIssimmee city occupied the remain
| der of the day, the party arriving at
| Tampa in time for good nights rest.
! The next day was spent on board the
| MdSCOJIes anu bub DdlbY Ouiy lelb uSI
| hospitable deck when the anchor was
about to be weig he'd and her bow turned
toward the Antilles. They then walked
| the plank" to the steamer Margaret and
turned in for the night. After an early
| breakfast, with tropical fruits as appe-
Tiers for the liberal supply OF ''pOmpi-
no." the fish of fishes, and the ideal
| of the lover Of fsh, for il has no
bones or none to speak of, and the
other good things that make the menu of
| the morning meal in Florida, the
| Margaret's PROV was turned toward old
| Tampa bay, AN hours steamlng and she
was opposite the point where it is pro-
| posed to establish the wharyes
| for the Plant steamship Com
| pany's West India steamers.
Mr.. Plant, MIR. Haines, Engineer
Reynolds and several others landed III a
small boat and inspected the site. On
their return the Margaret was headed
Tor another point, where carriages
were in waiting. MIR. Plant, Mr..
Haines, Mr.. lngraham and several
others dlsembarked and made an
overland trip TO Tampa through
the saw grass palmettoee, grass ponds
| aud pine lands. The trip was not as
pleasant as ''riding on rail" road. A
| Sunday in Tampa with the thermometer
at IS Ia the shade made one think it was
! EOuftn OF july Inc WShbH6Ts HOW6NtT,
was not q topic of conversation. The
mails and express had brought piles OF
well.hlled envelopes for the officials, and
the latest papers, and the day was spent
i in catching up with the news. On Mon
day the party started on their return trip,
making a few brief stops on the
route, and arriving in Savannah after an
absence of week. Mr.. Plant continued
| his trip nOrthward for the purpose OF re-
| turning in the new steamship Olivette
| on her trial trip TO Havana and Tampa.
THE FLORIDA ORANGES.
1t will not do to write ''fnIs" without
saying something about oranges. The
orange crop and the tourist crop are two
subjects that are staple in Florida. He
who has no opinion on these important
questions is thought to be mt for nothing
but "treason, strategem and spOils." The
orange crop this season IS estimated IN
round figures at 1,0000 boxes, and IL is
thought that the coming crop Will be
three times that amount, provided there
are no set backs. Orange groves are still
held and sold at fabulous prices, but
those who have gwen the subject their
attention are of the opinion that the day
near at hand when fancy priced groves
Will be things Of the past, and
orange growers Will calculate in
their expense account the interest
on the money invested in their lands
and trees. A Northern gentleman who
owns fine grove, and whose name. II